Admissions Tests

MCAT

Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)

The MCAT 2015 is a scientific inquiry and critical analysis test with 4 sections and 7 skill areas. View more information on the MCAT on the AAMC website.

View our USF MCAT course guide for suggested courses to take here at USF that help prepare for the MCAT. It outlines courses recommended to achieve competency.

Who takes the exam

  • Medical School Applicants (M.D., D.O., Podiatry)
  • Accepted for some Physician Assistant Program Applicants
  • Accepted for some Anesthesiologist Assistant Program Applicants

What is on the exam (~7hrs 30 min)

Four test sections:

  1. Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
  2. Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
  3. Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
  4. Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills

Seven skill areas:

  • Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning Skills:
    1. Knowledge of scientific concepts and principles
    2. Scientific reasoning and problem-solving
    3. Reasoning about the design and execution of research
    4. Data-based and statistical reasoning
  • Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills:
    1. Foundations of comprehension
    2. Reasoning within the text
    3. Reasoning beyond the text

Preparing for the exam

Exhaust all your free resources available before paying for materials. You can find free study plans, sample tests, and even a practice test on the AAMC website.

Please visit the AAMC website and their FAQs section for more information on scheduling, cost, and study resources.